The present invention generally relates to a method of butchering an animal carcass to obtain a specific cut. More specifically, the present invention is related to a method of butchering an animal carcass having a generally cylindrically shaped muscle or meat portion to produce a generally flat, boneless meat product.
Recently, the cost involved in obtaining, feeding, raising, and bringing to market an edible animal, such as a pig, cow, etc., has skyrocketed. Due to the tremendous increase in costs and, assuming that only reasonable increases may be made in the market price charged to the consumer for meat products without adversely affecting consumer demand, it has become increasingly important to more skillfully butcher animal carcasses in order to maximize the total meat yield in forms which are more desirable to consumers and, consequently, more profitable for food providers.
In addition to maximizing the total meat yield from animal carcasses, consumer tastes have become more sophisticated and the butchering methods must be changed to suit consumer taste. Consumers are now demanding new and different ways of purchasing and preparing meat products. In addition, consumers are willing to pay a premium for meat products which are interesting and convenient for their needs, such as flat, boneless meat products butchered from flavorful and appetizing portions of the animal carcass.
Consider, for example, pig carcasses. In the past, the traditional manner of butchering a pig carcass included the removal of the pork shoulder (also called the shoulder cut or Boston Butt portion) from the pig carcass. FIG. 1 shows the pork shoulder 12 removed from a pig carcass 10. As is conventionally known, the pork shoulder 12 contains a significant amount of irregularly positioned bones, fat, and gristle. Due to the irregular positioning of the bones, fat, and gristle, it is difficult to obtain meat from the pork shoulder 12 and, consequently, the pork shoulder 12 is not considered desirable by consumers or food producers. However, the pork shoulder 12 includes a very desirable and flavorful portion called the rib eye muscle portion (also called the Cottage Butt portion), which is a continuation of the rib eye muscle (not shown) which runs the length of the backbone of the pig carcass. FIG. 2 shows the rib eye muscle portion 20 contained in the pork shoulder 12 of FIG. 1. As is well known, the rib eye muscle portion 20 is generally cylindrical in shape and is desirable because its meat has a flavorful taste and texture which is similar to pork spare ribs. However, because the pork shoulder 12 as a whole is difficult to butcher (due to the irregularly positioned bones, fat, and gristle contained therein), and because the rib eye muscle portion 20 is relatively small in size, the rib eye muscle portion 20 is not conventionally butchered separately from the other parts of the pork shoulder 12. Instead, any meat which is obtained from the pork shoulder 12, including the rib eye muscle portion 20, is conventionally ground up and used as filler for sausage and related products. Therefore, conventionally the pork shoulder 12 of a pig carcass, including the rib eye muscle portion 20, has a relatively low per pound value to food producers since sausage is relatively inexpensive.
The present invention comprises a method for butchering a generally cylindrically shaped meat or muscle portion of an animal carcass (such as the rib eye muscle portion of a pig carcass) in order to produce a generally flat, boneless meat product. The generally flat, boneless meat product produced by the method of the present invention is expected to gain great consumer acceptance since it essentially represents a boneless meat steak, which is generally highly desired. The method of the present invention is relatively quick and easy to utilize, is easily reproducible, and is expected to obtain wide acceptance among food producers since it enables food producers to more skillfully butcher animal carcasses in order to maximize the total meat yield in forms (that is, boneless meat steaks) which are desired by consumers.